Twists of Shadow
by BirdSpirit
Summary: Once upon a time, a spider met a demon. Sort of prequel to Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself. Some Elise x Evelynn. Warnings: Gore


_Click. Click._

The flame flickered to life as she pulled back on the spark wheel then sputtered out when she released it.

 _Click. Click._

She did it again, this time holding it closer to her face. The reflection shone in wine red orbs, turning them almost ember in hue. Then it was dark.

Elise flicked the cap over the lighter as she heard a scuffle below her, peering over the edge of the rooftop to get a better view. A lone figure fiddled with his sleeve, and the Spider Queen caught the glimpse of a syringe and glittering liquid before it disappeared into his arm. Shaking her head, she returned to her spot in the shadow of the chimney, waiting for the moon to reach its highest point in the sky.

Almost.

Drekan wasn't too small of a town, but it was significantly more rural than the area around the Immortal Bastion. She could _actually_ hear crickets chirping. Elise reached into her cloak again, returning the lighter and instead pulling out a hand mirror. She flipped it open, checking her reflection for a moment before murmuring a spell. The image before her wavered and dissolved into a picture of a pale face shrouded in darkness. Elise could barely make out the golden crown on their head as they shifted forward into the moonlight. Lips shaded a deep purple quirked upwards, "Feeling lonely, dear?" a feminine voice purred.

"If I were, you wouldn't be my first choice."

LeBlanc chuckled, "And yet I find you in my bed all too frequently."

Elise raised a brow, "That doesn't automatically make you my first choice."

The Matron tilted her head, biting her lip, "But _indistinguishably_ close." It was a statement, and as much give she'd ever get from Emilia.

"You'll never find out."

The Deceiver's smile widened as the other woman rolled her eyes. "Lozano Manor," Elise changed the subject, "To the naked eye, nothing of interest from the outside other than some hired mercenaries."

"But?"

"There are significantly more protection charms on the south side and the guards seem to like sticking around that area. Perhaps that little spy of yours wasn't wrong," the Spider Queen mused.

A sigh came through the mirror, "I don't wish to lose a good contact, but I _hate_ disloyalty. Find out what he's hiding. If he's black marketing petricite _sub rosa_ ," LeBlanc seemed amused at her own pun, "then you know what to do."

Elise's red hues narrowed, "Please don't do that again."

"It's such a pity you don't appreciate me in every way."

"You should be happy when anyone can appreciate you in one," the spider mage reached out to close the mirror but stopped as she heard the Matron call her name.

She warily met the smirking expression of the Deceiver again, half expecting another pun. "Consider your next trip to the Isles fully funded," LeBlanc winked before ending the connection.

Satisfied, Elise stood, pulling her hood overhead before leaping off the roof. A well-aimed silken strand slowed her decent to a light tap, and she threw a disapproving look at the hallucinating teen who had crumpled to the muddy ground, needle still in hand. One of her spider legs reached out from the folds of her cloak, lightly tapping him directly between the eyes. He stared back at her in a daze, wholly unable to comprehend what was happening. After a beat, Elise withdrew, turning away and heading towards her target. No need for unnecessary suspicion.

Alton Lozano was practically the governor of Drekan, having gained such a prestigious position only because he had been backed by the Black Rose. He'd been useful as the keeper for a portion of the organization's resources, but greed, as it did with most, had overpowered him, leading him to believe shady dealings were his next best move. With _Demacians_ out of all people. Whispers of a petricite black market so close to Noxus Prime had quickly floated back to LeBlanc, and now Lozano would pay a price that was too high. So much for profit.

Elise patiently strode around the high walls of the manor, coming to a stop where the protection charms were practically suffocating. Odd to make something so obvious. Such spells usually held only the barest of magical trace, considering they were supposed to be hidden. The Spider Queen glanced around casually for spectators. Drekan had no street lamps like the annoyingly bright ones in Piltover, but the dimmer ones of burning oil still hung in various spots outside merchant shops and households. Elise crossed the road, darting into another alley. Sufficiently hidden, she removed her cloak and took the lighter out. A simple teleportation spell sent the clothing to a location just outside town where she could pick it up later. The mage looked at the device left in her hands and placed it on the ground.

Then she began to shift. Dark carapace erupted from her back, crawling over her pale skin and spiraling around her arms and legs. She felt the brief jolt of pain that always seemed to last longer than it really did as her body contorted, vision warping from seeing the entire color spectrum to only the most vibrant of shades. Elise shrunk down to the size of a small dog before skittering over to the lighter and snatching it up in her jaws. She sighed internally. If only she didn't have to carry this thing. Then she wouldn't have to even try to be stealthy.

The spider stopped at the mouth of the alleyway, feeling for any signs of life before skittering back across the street. If anyone saw her in the shadows, they'd assume she was a giant rat. Or a small dog. Elise paused at the wall, carefully tapping one leg upon the stone.

Nothing happened. She waited for a flurry of footsteps in case it had been a silent spell, but there was no sound of alarm from the manor. That was a weakness of general protection charms. They never included small critters. Elise could sense two guards on the other side of the wall as they shuffled along their route, so she skittered some distance to the left before crawling upward. A mercenary here had his back turned slightly to her, so she leapt over the edge and into the grass beyond.

The Spider Queen felt the shift immediately. It was as if a heavy aura had settled like a blanket over the area, slowly inhaling magical energies like an ice cube would heat. The extra charms over the wall hadn't been for protection, but to keep the effect of petricite contained. While unnoticeable by the commonfolk, any mage wandering past would have detected a large quantity of the anti-magic substance. Lozano had made it too easy to be accused.

She wedged herself into a dark space behind a bush, noting that she was on a time clock before her spider form was lost. She wouldn't be able to cast spells either. From the map she had studied before reaching Drekan, there would be an entryway the guards used just around the corner. The mercenary fiddled with something at his belt before removing a small tin can that he took a swig from. He turned around as he did so, searching for signs of intrusion. Finding none, he continued his way, footsteps fading as his distance from Elise increased. She darted across the stretch of green, finally reaching the house itself. It took another moment to find the back door, where another person had been stationed.

Lozano really enjoyed decorating the courtyard, and Elise was secretly thankful as she edged closer and hid in the shadow of a fountain. Her usual approach of summoning spiders and scaring victims would unfortunately be useless here due to the petricite. Instead, she tapped the lighter she was holding against the stone.

 _Chink. Chink._

There was a shuffle as the guard perked. Elise dragged the corner against rock again, making a scraping sound. She felt footsteps start towards her hiding spot and quickly scurried to the other side of the fountain to remain hidden. The way clear, the spider launched herself at the door handle, attaching a strand of webbing to it before leaping to the ground and pulling. It only opened a few inches, but that was enough for her to get through. She skittered up the wall and to the ceiling before continuing deeper into the mansion. Her body was tingling, and Elise could feel the increasingly tiring focus she had to direct towards maintain her spider form. The petricite was underground, but she would deal with Lozano first.

The kitchen area was to her right, and after a moment of deliberation, Elise crawled in. The servant's quarters were on the other side. She stopped at the entrance, feeling for any movement before returning to her human form. Her arachnid skin peeled off almost too easily, and Elise felt the magic drain from her as she was left standing stark naked in the darkness. No spells, no clothes. She picked up the lighter and inched down the hall, disliking the feeling of the scratchy wood on her bare feet. There was a tiny storage closet here, and the Spider Queen remembered making note of it in case she needed a place to hide. She opened it now, finding a few tan-colored tunics and pairs of pants folded neatly on one of the shelves. To her discontent, the material was thin and rough, but she supposed she couldn't expect better. Her spider legs stabbed at the shirt, easily creating holes for them to slip through. She flung the clothing on, pleased to find a pocket for the lighter. Elise glanced in the closet again, frowning. No shoes.

She returned to the main wing of the mansion, tussling her hair so that it would appear messier in the event she was questioned. Following the map in her head, she found the staircase to the second floor. Lozano would be on the third. The clap of footsteps echoed from the stone, and Elise braced herself around the corner. The guard, a woman, might have walked right past Elise if she hadn't struck. The hired muscle inside the mansion seemed too used to uneventful shifts. Spider legs shot out, wrapping around her victim's throat in a chokehold. "Urk!"

The woman struggled, eyes wide, but could not form more than a strangled sound. She tried to draw her sword, but another pair of Elise's extra limbs pinned her arms to her side. "Shh, it hurts more if you struggle," the Spider Queen grinned, opening her mouth as her fangs elongated.

She tugged away the guard's collar, and bit down, teeth slicing easily through warm flesh. Her venom coursed into the woman's bloodstream, leaving a burning, painful trail in its wake. Elise dragged her victim into one of the mansion's many rooms, ensuring that there was no one inside. She released her tight grip and let the guard slide to the carpet, already too paralyzed to scream. She'd be dead in less than thirty seconds.

Closing the door behind her, the Spider Queen quietly made her way up the first flight of stairs. She ran her hand against the wall as she emerged, using her spider senses to feel for the vibrations of anyone else in the vicinity. There was one at the far end of the corridor, and…

Elise paused, wondering if she had imagined the movement not ten feet from her.

 _There was no one there._

The hairs on the back of her neck instinctively stood up, and she could practically feel someone – or something – staring directly at her. It was completely quiet, save for the chirping of crickets that her mind continued to marvel at for whatever reason. The carpet didn't shift. The shadows didn't waver. The Spider Queen took a deep breath and released it, attempting to calm her paranoia. She headed to the third floor, checking behind her warily.

Yes, someone was following her. Or something. She could feel it in the slightest of movements as they strode up the stairs, halting just out of her arms reach. The way whatever it was scarcely brushed against the ground reminded her of an apparition. The Kindred? Elise had only seen them once, and it was shortly after she had begun eluding mortality. But Lamb and Wolf never hid and could never be sensed.

The Spider Queen spun around suddenly, crouched low to the floor, as if she was about to leap forward to attack. A flicker of movement twisted the shadows before her.

Then all was still.

Elise paused, stretching her senses, but could no longer find anything that wasn't seemingly human. She waited an entire minute before slowly standing. Carefully, she started back up the stairs. Whatever it had been, it clearly didn't work for Lozano.

To get to his room, she would need to evade the traps on this floor. Some were pressure pads, but others had presence sensors that alarmed if the wrong person got too close. The Spider Queen skirted against the wall, counting the paces to the first one. Once she was past it, she stopped at the hallway intersection, waiting to ambush the guard.

But she didn't get the chance.

A stream of cold air rushed past her, and Elise instinctively pulled away to avoid it. A dark form leapt silently onto the guard, claws digging into his shoulder guards, but almost immediately, it recoiled, writhing as if in pain. The Spider Queen stopped, momentarily confused as she attempted to figure out what had just transpired. The man gasped in surprise and then took a deep breath to alert the rest of the mansion. Elise immediately shot a strand of webbing at his mouth, but it was too late. "INTRUD-mph!"

 _Shit._

The creature on the floor had partially recovered, and Elise could see it better now – a monster with a pair of tendrils streaming from its back and wicked sharp horns upon its head. A demon. Two shots rang out from the direction they had come, and the Spider Queen fled around the corner. A screech sounded from the monster; Elise assumed it had been shot. She took a running start towards the window, but as she leaped to break through, someone grabbed the collar of her shirt, jerking her roughly backwards and choking her. She pretended to stagger to side, but immediately spun around to elbow her assailant in the face. They caught her arm and twisted it instead. Something sharp was jammed into her neck, and Elise writhed, breaking away and crashing to the floor. She immediately pulled it out, seeing a tiny syringe with an empty barrel. Already her vision was beginning to blur. The mage swayed, seeing the blonde hair and triumphant purple eyes of her attacker before she crashed to the ground and passed out.

* * *

"Dammit Rordan, quit provoking it!"

Elise reflexively took a deep breath to seem as if she was still unconscious, trying to garner as much of her surroundings as she could before opening her eyes. A second voice protested as there was a loud hiss somewhere to her right.

"Ah!" A stumble of footsteps. Then a nervous laugh, "Naw, bitch can't get me. This shit's got silver. Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, I bet that's what Kian was thinking right before his hand got sliced off. Bastard ain't got money for a hextech one. He'll be coming back with a hook."

There was a series of loud clangs, and it was all Elise could do to keep from wincing. Whatever they had drugged her with had given her a headache. She was lying on something cold and hard, and the air around her felt damp. The petricite aura was stronger than ever, so the Spider Queen figured they were somewhere in the basement. Slitting her eyes, she squinted at the two mercenaries who had their attentions faced away from her. "Some weird stuff's been happening since that white shit got shipped here. We don't get paid enough for this," the first one grumbled as he shifted his grip on his torch.

The other was holding a metal baton in his hands, which he had been presumably dragging across the ivory colored bars in the cell opposite to Elise. She blinked sleepily, realizing her own was the same. Petricite prison. Perfect.

Whatever the guards had been poking at had stopped responding, and after a minute or two, they lost interest. Elise closed her eyes again, waiting for them to walk away so she could get rid of the kink in her neck. The torchlight shone across her face. "Did they kill the other one or something? She should be up by now."

"Who knows? Actually, Miro'd probably blame us for it she found us here, so let's go."

Two sets of footsteps shuffled out of room, the voices fading as they argued. The door slammed shut and a heavy bolt slid into place. The Noxian waited another beat before opening her eyes fully this time, sitting up and massaging her neck. She'd been lying on stone, the only surface available in her prison. Now that the guards were gone, the room was only lit by a very dim lamp that was just out of her line of vision. The cell seemed like it had been designed for animals, considering it was wider than the ceiling was high. Elise knew without trying that she wouldn't be able to stand up fully. A shiver passed through her, and her spider legs reflexively curled. It was a little too chilly, especially in the rags she was still wearing. She reflexively put hand in her pocket before swearing. The lighter was gone.

LeBlanc was going to kill her. If something didn't happen here first, that is. Sighing, the Noxian got up, crouching so she wouldn't bang the top of her head. She made note of the three other cells around her, two of which were empty. There was a splattering of what look suspiciously like blood in one of them. She rattled the door, testing the lock. It was made of regular metal, something she would have had no trouble with if she could use magic. Elise gave it a half-hearted try anyway, watching as the spell sparked at the tip of her fingers before fizzling out. A soft raspy chuckle flitted from the other cell, catching the Spider Queen's attention. Red hues narrowed as she leaned forward, fingers curling around the petricite bars. Pale feline eyes stared back at her, crinkled with amusement. "You're awfully chipper for being the one that got us stuck here."

It gave her a sort of half-shrug, "You _failed_ to hide your presence from the start, honey. The drakehounds would have _bayed_ you out of the house." The voice was distinctly feminine, but it held dark echo that seemed to reverberate in the Noxian's skull.

"Drakehounds." The Spider Queen deadpanned. Lozano hated drakehounds.

"I _killed_ them," the demon replied casually, like she was telling someone what day it was.

"And what? You want a thank you?" Elise growled back. "No wonder they responded to the alarm so quickly."

A movement caught the mage's eye, and the Noxian jerked back as a pair of magenta lashers shot towards her, their razor-sharp tips halting just centimeters from her prison. They held taut before relaxing, waving hypnotically before returning to their owner. The dark form laughed again, and it echoed eerily in Elise's ears. She bared her fangs with irritation, and in one fluid movement, fired her venom in retaliation. It landed on the floor of the other cell as the demon gave a yelp and leapt backward. The Spider Queen crossed her arms. She smirked arrogantly as the creature stepped carefully around the toxic substance, like a cat with its hackles raised. It eventually realized it was not in immediate danger and slunk back to observing Elise. The two scrutinized each other more warily. "Too _clumsy_ to be Vastayan," the demon eventually murmured, "but too _merciless_ for a human." The Cheshire grin returned, its teeth a sharp contrast to the shadows.

"Is that why you followed me?"

"No," the demon's eyes lit up, and a wide grin appeared on its shadowy face, "I felt something _burning, writhing_ as you tormented its body beyond its _feeble_ comprehension. It was _delicious_. But then," the low voice took on a mournful tone, "it was gone. All that _misery_ , wasted away."

Elise blinked. She assumed the demon was talking about the guard she had bitten. "Do you feed off of pain or something?"

"Not pain. _Agony_ ," the word came with a hiss of pleasure followed by another snicker.

The Noxian pursed her lips, "Charming."

"And what of you?" the demon's eyes refocused on her spider limbs, "A corrupted being of dark magic. I can _taste_ it. You've been touched by the _ancient power_ of the Blessed Isles."

That got Elise's attention, but she recovered quickly and sneered. "I don't believe that's any of your business."

The demon's bone-chilling laughter filled the room again as the Spider Queen scowled, "If you keep doing that, the guards will return."

The shadow in the cell paced now, its lashers whipping back and forth as it shifted, "Let them. They will not hurt me. I will _rip_ them limb from limb when they decide to try. Escape is _imminent_."

It was then that Elise noticed there was no perceivable bullet wound anywhere on the creature. Or marks from touching what she presumed was silver on that guard's shoulder pads. Demons did heal significantly faster than normal, after all. The Spider Queen raised an eyebrow, "I'm sure if they decided to dump you in a vat of silver, you wouldn't be able to do much about it."

The demon didn't appear to like that comment and snarled, fixing her with a glare. It was Elise's turn to laugh. The creature turned around, wisps and tendrils of shade whirling around its form until the Spider Queen could no longer see anything but shadow in the cell.

Sensing the conversation was over, Elise put her head against the wall, closing her eyes. The chill of the dungeon was slowly seeping in, and she pulled her knees to her chest in a fruitless effort to stay warm.

She placed her hand on the ground, feeling the movements of the people around her. The guards from earlier were pacing about the outer corridor, their footsteps slow but measured. She followed the echoes, but could not feel anything past the hallway. Instead, she continued to track the patrol routes, an escape plan slowly formulating in her mind's eye.

* * *

Elise wasn't sure when exactly she had dozed off, but she jerked awake as the door rattled open, swinging into its adjacent wall with a loud bang. Torchlight spilled into the room, forcing the Spider Queen to shield her eyes as they slowly adjusted from being in darkness. "Alright!" a woman clad in full armor barked, "You've got one chance to tell us why you're here before we rip the answers from you!"

She was met with complete and utter silence as both Elise and the demon stared at her, unimpressed. Miro, at least, the Spider Queen assumed that was her name, took a deep breath and jerked her hand at the two men from earlier. They held pieces of paper, and each had a runic drawing etched into the papyrus. Rordan, the one who had been poking at the demon earlier, approached Elise, placing the piece of paper onto the wall next to her cell. It melded into the stone, and several copies of the rune appeared at her feet. "Now," Miro commanded.

The spider mage instinctively backed into a corner, but it didn't matter. Blue sparks of electricity flew from the runes, immediately shooting towards her. Without magic, Elise was defenseless. The current exploded through her chest, and the Spider Queen grunted as white-hot pain shot to her nerve endings. She sank to her knees, certain her heart was in danger of stopping. "Again."

Elise closed her eyes and braced herself, as she saw blue lightning arcing towards her again. It touched her shoulder this time…and fizzled out. Still, the Spider Queen jerked backwards, breathing heavily. Odd.

Her friendly demon neighbor was screeching, but it died down to a soft wheeze as the runic energy faded. The creature curled up, whimpering and shaking. Miro took a step closer, head held high with triumph. "So-"

She didn't manage to get the second word out before a pair of lashers pierced her chest, sliding easily through chain mail and flesh. _Schlick._ They emerged from her back, bloodied and sharp. The unnamed guard took a step backward reflexively, letting out a cry of surprise. Ignoring the numbness in her limbs, Elise threw herself forward, awkwardly sliding one of her spider limbs between the bars and curling it around his neck. She pulled backwards but lost her balance as she felt the unresponsiveness of her legs. They collapsed to the ground, but before he could wriggle free, another spider leg had promptly impaled his skull.

Elise lay still for a moment, willing the tingling feeling from the shocks to disappear. She wriggled her fingers, rolling away from the puddle of blood that was now pooling at the edge of her cell. An agonized scream filled the air and the Spider Queen winced, looking back over her shoulder. Miro was still alive apparently, and she had managed to snatch a dagger from her belt and slice clean through one of the demon's lashers. It writhed in agony, spraying murky blood all over the room.

Elise pushed herself back clumsily to avoid it, but a drop landed on her hand, and she hissed with pain as it started to burn. Having no other option, she pressed the wound against the hole in the dead guard's head, allowing the blood leaking out to dilute the demon's. As she did so the Spider Queen spotted a glimpse of silver at his waist. She fumbled for the keychain with shaking digits, careful to avoid any dark liquid clinging to the bars. Rordan was screaming in the corner with his hands to his face, blood leaking between his fingers. He probably wouldn't be seeing ever again.

Some feeling was finally coming back to her legs and Elise managed to stand, sliding her arm around the latch to unlock it. It took her a few tries, but the door swung open and she stumbled out, almost tripping over a now dead Miro. Her head had been partially severed, and lifeless eyes stared at the doorway, reflecting the flickering torchlight. There was something in her bloodied hand, and Elise bent down to grab it as she realized what it was. The lighter.

She flicked it on for a moment, seeing the flame was now blue. Miro must have thought the runic inscription could hurt the demon. Loud footsteps echoed down the hallway, and Elise placed the ignitor back in her pocket. She whirled, finding that the demon had retreated into its shadows, leaving only the glow of pale orbs. Their eyes met for a moment, and Elise made a split decision as the rest of Lozano's dungeon entourage closed in. She unlocked the door.

The demon shot past her, leaving a trail of cold air behind. Elise followed, stopping to grab Rordan by the head. With a quick twist, she snapped his neck, silencing his whimpering. The creature stopped at the doorway, and the Spider Queen glimpsed something akin to a pout before the it leapt into action, ambushing the first person unlucky enough to step through. His throat became a torrent of red almost immediately, and he collapsed backward, halting the advance of anyone else. The demon didn't hesitate to leap into the hallway, darting at her next victim. She was followed quickly by Elise, who drew the attention of another man attempting to flank. "What the hell are you freaks?" he snarled, swinging his sword in a wide arc.

She ducked, remembering she had no mana shield to protect her from any sort of blow. Elise glanced past him, seeing a series of ropes and pulleys at the end of the corridor where the guards had come. An elevator into a dungeon. How classic. She was attacked again, and the Spider Queen dodged past, elbowing him in the stomach and forcing her opponent to spin around. Elise slowly backed away, keeping clear of the edge of the blade as he swung once more. He was much larger and stronger, but also inexperienced, allowing his momentum to carry him into imprecise strokes. She managed to reach the end of the passageway mostly unharmed, to the frustration of the man advancing upon her. The Spider Queen smirked, taunting him, "First night with a blade?"

He grit his teeth and suddenly rushed at her. Wine hues narrowed and she barely managed to sidestep the tip of his sword, earning a light cut at the corner of her jaw. She hooked one of her extra limbs around the supporting rope holding the lift at the top and pulled. It snapped in half as the guard came to a stop, and the mage kicked him in the back for good measure, making him stumble forward.

There was an ear-piercing squeal as the wheels spun uncontrollably, relieved of their heavy weight. Elise leapt out of the way, and a cloud of dust erupted as the structure of metal and wood came crashing down. She waved her hand in front of her to clear the air. "Because you are much to slow," she finished.

There was only one person left, and she fought the demon with a flurry of slashes using a pair of daggers. The Spider Queen slunk towards the fight, realizing it was the purple-eyed blonde who had previously knocked her out. Before the woman could react, she had speared a spider leg through the left side of her chest. Elise lifted her into the air, listening to her gag on her own blood. She gave her a jerk, enjoying the gurgle of pain. A beat passed before a lasher pierced the guard's other side, and the Spider Queen smiled at the demon as they made eye contact again.

They ripped her in half.

Elise stepped backward to avoid the enormous splattering of blood. She heard giggling and glared at the demon. The shadows surrounding her were now gone, revealing pale blue skin, and a shock of white hair edged with magenta pink. All in all, the color theme reminded Elise of one of those insane partygoers in Piltover. The creature was crouched on her haunches, but turned away once she saw the Spider Queen looking. She licked her lips as she regarded the violent scene before her. Elise turned, taking out her lighter. "I'll leave you to dinner."

That prompted some laughing again, and the Noxian stopped, rolling her eyes. " _What_?"

The creature smirked at her before standing. It was then that the mage noticed she had two lashers instead of one. The demon caught her staring, and raised them both, "Demonic perk."

"Right."

The creature slid closer, until she was only a few feet from the Spider Queen. Elise fixed her with an intent gaze, only to have the demon stare right back. "You are truly much unlike _them_ ," she finally whispered, "They shrink from the suffering of others. You embrace it. I could see it in your eyes. You don't wish to take lives so quickly," the demon gestured at the remains behind her, "You want to bask in their pain."

A chuckle escaped Elise, "We all have guilty pleasures, dear."

"I have met very few who express anything similar."

"I'll take it as a compliment."

The conversation died again but the demon stepped even closer, tilting her head at the Spider Queen. Elise didn't flinch. "You are not afraid," she sounded impressed, "What do they call you?"

The mage mulled over her answer for a moment before deciding on the truth. "Elise. And you are?"

The creature grinned, showing off a row of fangs, "Evelynn."

"Evelynn," the Spider Queen repeated, "Not very demonic."

Evelynn looked thoughtful, "A name given to me long ago. By a human."

"Was it meant to not be intimidating at all?" Elise was amused.

"Being less threatening makes it easier to catch others unaware," she grinned devilishly.

"And who exactly were you attempting to catch unaware tonight?"

Evelynn's pout returned. "The man of this mansion. I've been waiting ever so _patiently_ to hunt him. He's been so proud of what he's accomplished recently. So _happy_. But he is gone. If only we had broken out sooner."

"Wait," Elise disregarded the demon's flair for dramatics and focused on her last sentence, "You can track him?"

Evelynn sensed her change in demeanor and began to circle her, lashers twitching just above the ground. Darkness coiled around her once more. "Yes."

"How?"

The demon prowled until she was behind the Spider Queen, "Humans use the word empath. I hunt those who feel _joyous_ , confident, content. I make them feel fear and _agony_."

Elise turned to face her and crossed her arms. "What if I told you the hunt wasn't over?" Evelynn's pale orbs narrowed and her lashers stopped twitching. "You seemed sorry I broke that man's neck so quickly," the mage continued, her voice dropping to a low purr, "I'll make it up to you. Lozano wouldn't go far. I know he has a meeting with Demacian black marketers, but I just don't know where. I can get us past his entourage if you lead me to him. And…" Elise tongued her own fangs, "I'll show you just how much my venom hurts."

The demon regarded her suspiciously, looking for signs of deception. Elise smiled, "What? Never received a gift before?"

After several more moments of contemplation, Evelynn finally gave in. "Very well. You do owe me for taking prey away."

The Spider Queen shrugged, "In my experience, I've found that I shouldn't leave anything potentially threatening alive."

"I'm alive."

Elise leveled her with an amused look. "Your name is Evelynn, remember?"

"Does that mean you don't consider me threatening?"

"If I answer that question, I may have to kill you."

"That would be a shame, considering you need me and," Evelynn boldly dragged a claw lightly over Elise's cheek, "we just met." She pulled away, "But I must warn you," the demon dissolved into smoke and reappeared directly behind the Spider Queen, cheek pressed to the side of Elise's head. A lasher tickled her chin, "I hunt for more victims when I am not satisfied."

The threat was clear, but the Noxian didn't flinch. In fact, she grinned widely, baring her teeth, "I'm up to the challenge."

She could feel Evelynn's breath on her ear as the demon breathed the next word, " _Wonderful_. Also," the creature disappeared again, materializing a few feet away to prod with a lasher at the exposed heart of the woman they had torn apart. It was still shuddering, attempting to beat properly without oxygen or a brain. "I only eat _live_ prey."

A chuckled escaped Elise. "I'll keep that in mind. But before we go…" she clicked the lighter open in her hand out of habit, "I'll need to attend to something first."

The Spider Queen strode back to Evelynn's cell where she had dropped the keys. She returned to the corridor, following the constant press of petricite against her senses. It took her around the corner with a heavily armed door at the end of the hall. Elise raised the keys to eyelevel, selecting one she had not yet used. "This?" Evelynn's voice echoed behind her.

The demon was enshrouded fully in shade, becoming a wispy, darker form with horns and glowing eyes. Elise looked at her as she inserted another key, "Yes. What do you know about it?"

The demon gave her the Cheshire grin, "What do _you_ know about it?"

The spider mage raised an eyebrow at her before taking the bait, "A magic absorbing substance which originates from the petrified trees in the heart of the Demacian forest."

Evelynn shrugged as Elise finally managed to unlock the door. "Close enough."

The Spider Queen eyed her cautiously as she entered the room. "It doesn't affect you." Unlike silver.

"No, it doesn't."

The petricite had been ground into a powder and placed into wooden boxes stacked high to the ceiling. This close to it, Elise almost felt like choking. She turned on the lighter for the last time. "You're going to burn it," the demon's voice floated from behind her. It was a statement, not a question.

"This flame is special. It will turn all of it to ash," Elise replied.

"Have you every tried burning petricite before?"

The Spider Queen wrenched the lid of the closest crate open, her suspicion rising again. "No."

Evelynn just crossed her arms, as if almost impatient. "Well, go on."

The Noxian turned to fully face the demon, crimson orbs accusing. "You know something I don't."

The creature shrugged, "I do."

Elise was still glaring at her unmoving, and Evelynn rolled her eyes, making a hurry up gesture at the Noxian with one hand. "Elise, _honey_ , if something terrible was about to happen, I wouldn't be standing here, now would I?"

The Spider Queen had to give her that.

Elise turned back to the petricite, and before she could have any more second thoughts, she tossed the flame onto the pile of powder. It ignited almost immediately, golden smoke rising from the box as the Noxian backed away. She bumped into the arm of one of Evelynn's tendrils as she tried to leave the room. The demon was still calmly standing with her arms crossed. "Wait."

Elise gave her an almost annoyed look, but curiosity won out, and she stopped, watching the fumes fill the chamber. She couldn't perceive anything of particular interest, and opened her mouth to tell the demon so, when she realized what Evelynn was waiting for. The Spider Queen sniffed the air with surprise. It smelled like…

"Blood."

Evelynn's delighted cackle filled the air, the same moment the expression of realization dawned on Elise. "Come. Let's _hunt_."

The Spider Queen followed her, mind running with the possibilities her discovery could mean. She snapped back to the present as they neared the remains of the lift, leaking a small river of red from underneath. Her thoughts would have to wait.

There was a commotion above their heads at the mouth of the elevator shaft, where the rest of the mansion's people were likely crowded. Evelynn didn't hesitate and leapt towards the brick to scale up the wall, shrouded safely in her demon shade. Elise flexed her fingers, feeling her magic returning as the influence of the petrified wood dwindled. In fact, the air was raw with energy, practically ready to explode. It made her feel powerful, unstoppable. She tossed a ball of mana fire upward, careful to miss the climbing demon. It grew as it spiraled towards the unfortunate guards and servants, and there were exclamations of surprise before several bodies dropped down the opening.

Leaving her peasant rags behind, the Noxian shifted into an arachnid, leaping from wall to wall to quickly climb out of the shaft that was beginning to fill with smoke. Evelynn was straddling a screaming woman as Elise emerged, and her cries were silenced by a razor sharp lasher through the eye. Returning to her human form, the Spider Queen snapped her fingers at the last three guards, necrotic magic floating eerily from her hand. They dropped dead as she took their lives within a heartbeat.

Elise turns slowly, searching for any movements from, once again, the pile of bodies around them. There were none. She finished her survey, finding Evelynn staring unabashedly at her naked form. Smirking, the mage willed her black and red outfit to cover her once more, the leather rippling and growing over her body like a second skin. "Better?"

The tip of the demon's tongue pointed out of her lips as she considered, "The colors suit you." But the glint in her eyes told Elise everything else she needed to know. Evelynn giggled and leapt backwards, heading towards the exit, "Try to keep up …"

Elise tsked. "If you weren't leading the way, you'd already be far behind me."

She darted after the demon, morphing back into a spider as she moved. The fire was roaring through most of the first floor as they hit the lawn, bright enough to hide their presence from the spectating inhabitants of the town watching the manor in horror.

They moved further from the now-blazing inferno and Elise noticed something as they excited Drekan under the cover of darkness.

The crickets were quiet.


End file.
